How to Organize Your Legal Files

Let’s discuss how to organize legal files.

Keeping your law firm’s documents and files organized is hard.  But you can do it.

Remember, with streamlined organization comes a streamlined business. It’s worth the various considerations to ensure your firm has the most optimal processes in place.

Utilize tools and this article to make that happen!

By the time you finish this article, you’ll be an expert in organizing your law firm’s documents, including:

Plus:  Here’s a free Law Firm File Organization Checklist that you can use right away. Though, we recommend that you also keep reading for more information!

Introduction to Organize Legal Files

Things always start so simple.

When you start as a solo law practice, files and documents typically start very organized.  You create folders per client or per matter and maybe create subfolders to organize by type (contracts, motions, etc.) Nice and simple.

But as your client list and your team grow, inevitably, your perfect file structure starts to show cracks. People don’t always follow your structure. Special cases have special circumstances.

Over time, your simple, tidy legal file organizational structure turns into a giant mess of files and folders and you’re left wondering how to organize legal files again.

You shouldn’t feel too bad — it happens to almost every law firm sooner or later.

But you should invest the time into fixing it; into setting up a system that will stand the test of time, and scale up no matter how many documents, clients, matters or coworkers you throw at it.

It’s time to truly organize your legal files. Many law firms struggle to implement and then maintain a filing system for the incredible amount of documents and files they generate each day. Luckily, there’s a better way.

The best system for any growing law office includes a combination of two simple but important elements:

You’ll find everything you need to get started right here in this guide.

Why You Should Upgrade Your Legal Filing System

Files aren’t going away. Every contract, client intake form, NDA, police report (you get the picture) is critical to your work. A simplified way to organize legal files can ensure you have easy access to these files at all times.

As a result, you and your team can:

Using the Cloud for a Paperless (or Paper-Lite) Law Firm

We believe the best way forward for any law firm is to use the tech we have available at our fingertips. Work revolves around computers and mobile devices. Your files should be no different. For optimum file storage and organization, we recommend taking a paperless law firm approach by utilizing the cloud.

The Benefits of Going Paperless (or Paper-Lite)

A Note About “Paperless” vs. “Paper-Lite”

We know that some documents such as court-issued documents must remain in paper form. And sometimes, going 100% paperless may not be practical for every firm. In these cases, paper-lite is a great option. This means keeping physical paper documents only when necessary. Just be sure to keep an electronic copy too.

We know that the phrase “going paperless” can strike fear into the hearts of those who have used paper files exclusively since the start of their practices. However, trust us when we say that the benefits outweigh any apprehension you may feel.

For example, eliminating paper can:

Legal Filing System Tools: Basic Cloud Storage vs. a DMS

With the philosophy covered, next, let’s dive into the practice side of setting up a legal filing system that will stand the test of time.

We’ve described how software tools will play a central role in your well-organized, scalable law firm filing system. And in general, you have two categories of software tools to choose from.

We’ll cover the advantages and disadvantages of both.

What Is Basic Cloud Storage?

In its simplest form, basic cloud storage is a cloud-based filing cabinet. These tools provide simple online storage for your firm’s documents, much like your C: drive. Basic cloud storage includes services such as:

• Google Drive
• OneDrive
• Dropbox
• SharePoint

By using one of these platforms to organize your legal files, you would create a set of top-level folders to use across your firm. Then, a new folder for each client or matter. All of your documents would be stored in their respective folders and accessed via a web browser or app.

Related Video:  The Problem With Basic Cloud Storage

Basic cloud storage may be an easy entry-point for solo or very small law firms.

However, midsize and larger firms, or those wanting more control over their files may find tools, such as Google or OneDrive, lacking. For example, basic cloud storage tools may lack critical functionality such as full-text search, document profiling/metadata, version management, and email management.

What Is a Document Management System?

If you feel you need more than basic cloud storage, the best solution is a document management system or DMS. This is a robust system that not only stores your documents but enables you to manage them effectively.

A DMS offers everything you need to manage all of your legal files, including emails. These solutions offer a wide range of features, including client/matter-centric organization, document tagging, full-text search, file check-in/out, permissions/access management, email management, and so much more.

One of the key features of a DMS is the ability to organize your files by legal matter automatically. As a result, every file you need for each matter is conveniently placed in one location and ready when you need it.

Don’t Forget About Email

As you think about the best way to organize your law firm’s documents, cases and files, don’t forget about email. Emails are documents too, and your overarching legal file organization strategy should include a way to similarly organize emails.

Ideally, you’ll want a system that allows you to:

Is Practice Management Software Enough?

While Practice Management software excels in areas like time tracking, invoicing, and calendaring, its proficiency in handling documents and emails often leaves room for improvement. In this video, we introduce a more effective approach.

Understanding the Gaps in Practice Management Software

When it comes to document and email management, its capabilities can be somewhat basic.

For instance, while you can store and sort documents by matter, you might miss out on advanced tools like unique document IDs, version controls, secure client sharing, audit trails, and more.

Certain case management tools might let you link an email to a specific matter and could provide basic plugins for platforms like Outlook. Still, the real game-changer lies in functionalities that allow email categorization akin to document folders, prevention of duplicate email entries, brief note additions, and previews.

Superior document and email management tools don’t just store data — they index every detail, from the core content to metadata and annotations. Imagine being able to conduct a comprehensive search and then refine it based on matters, timelines, editors, and more.

LexWorkplace: Simplified & Efficient Law Firm File Organization

The effectiveness of any law firm rests heavily on the flawless organization, rapid retrieval, and absolute security of its files. In these areas, generic solutions often fall short, leading to inefficiencies that legal professionals can ill afford.

If you’re ready to overhaul your legal filing system, we recommend implementing a robust, matter-centric document management system within your firm.

LexWorkplace emerges as a beacon in this space, offering a suite of features tailored to meet and exceed the unique challenges posed by legal documentation. With its advanced capabilities ranging from unique document IDs to powerful search functions, it goes beyond just storing files — it transforms how they are accessed, managed, and safeguarded.

For those who seek excellence in their practice and understand the value of streamlined document management, LexWorkplace isn’t just a recommendation — it’s an essential tool.

Embracing LexWorkplace is an investment in clarity, professionalism, and peace of mind, ensuring that your law firm operates at the pinnacle of efficiency and client satisfaction. Contact us to learn more.